Ringing in the New Year in Festive Style

It was a rainy New Year’s Eve when my husband and I pulled into the valet circle at San Ysidro Ranch in our late model Honda, where we were immediately greeted with umbrellas and smiles welcoming us with the same timeless grace and hospitality that was no doubt shared with Winston Churchill, John and Jackie Kennedy, and Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh way back when.

Entering through an arbor decorated by a good number of the property’s more than 60,000 twinkling lights for the holiday season, our evening began with a small nod to contemporary culture in the form of a festive photo booth, staffed by two social-media-savvy staffers who encouraged us to explore the Ranch’s winter wonderland of lights, trees, and decorations (and more photo ops) during a slight break in the rain. 

A walk through the tastefully adorned gardens led us to the Hacienda, home to the Caviar Lounge featuring a Cigarette Girl–style (male) server generously stocked with blinis, caviar, and crème fraîche, alongside a fabulous, full-sized Perrier-Jouët Champagne bar constructed completely from ice — with (literal) ice buckets of bubbly eagerly waiting to be poured. 

As we had our fill of champagne and caviar — provided with the impeccable service that’s earned the Ranch such international renown — a guitarist pleasantly strummed holiday tunes by a roaring fire, and I would have been perfectly content to call it a night. 

The year 2025 was rough, but 2026 was definitely looking up! 

And we still had a four-course meal at the Stonehouse to look forward to. 

We made our way through more twinkly lights into the 19th-century citrus packing house, now tastefully transformed into a Michelin Guide notable restaurant, with holiday decorations, festive fireplaces, and the same warm hospitality found everywhere at San Ysidro Ranch. While I’ve dined at the Stonehouse for special occasions several times over the years, previously I’ve always been outdoors on the beautiful ocean-view terrace. So this was my first time seated inside this magical, history-filled space, where legend has it that John Huston also fortified himself as he finished writing the screenplay for The African Queen. Sinclair Lewis and Somerset Maugham also reportedly used the ranch as secluded writing havens. 

We, however, threw our literary ambitions to the wind for the night as we enjoyed Prestige Champagne followed by a Wagyu steak tartare on toast amuse-bouche. We chose the lobster ravioli for our first course, followed by a fabulous crudo of scallop and tuna with puffed quinoa providing a clever textural touch, and more wine, of course.

Everything was delightful, but the main course we selected — a Japanese Miyazaki A5 Striploin, paired with Caparzo Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino “Riserva” 2007 — was exceptionally mouthwatering and oh-so memorable as it melted in my mouth. And the big red wine with its notes of sweet cherries and smoky tobacco was a perfect match for the meat. 

We opted for a bit more bubbly (why not, it was a holiday) with our desserts, as we sampled both the decadent chocolate pistachio mille-feuille and the slightly lighter SYR Meyer lemon meringue parfait, which was a nice nod to the property’s lemon-growing roots. 

After our delightful dinner, we made our way to the Speakeasy, which was adorned with more than 6,000 ornaments hanging from the ceiling for the holidays, complete with a Dean Martin–style lounge singer and pianist accompanist who kept the timeless vibe going ’til the “Indiana New Year’s” countdown at 9 p.m. PT. Shortly afterward, an influx of revelers made their way into the Speakeasy, bringing a more youthful and festive aura with them as we toasted the New Year a few more times throughout this truly magical night. 

While the next New Year’s celebration is a year away, you can still get a taste of the magic at San Ysidro Ranch’s new weekly series at the Speakeasy, Spin After Dark. Taking place on Wednesday nights from 7 to 10 p.m., the Prohibition era–inspired space transforms into a lively soirée with bold cocktails, a live deejay, and plenty of room to dance (or whisper sweet nothings) late into the night. 

See sanysidroranch.com.